Matt Leinart appears to be joining the Dark Side full-time

Last week, the Pac-12 Networks announced that Matt Leinart would join its on-air roster as a studio analyst. Combined with the fact that Leinart has also become a contributor to Fox Sports Live on Fox Sports 1 and it appears that the Heisman Trophy winner at USC and journeyman NFL quarterback has shucked the playing career in favor of joining media and the “Dark Side.”

Leinart made his Pac-12 Networks debut this weekend as part of the pregame, halftime and postgame shows. In addition to his Saturday appearances, Leinart will be on the cast of Pac-12 Football Weekly as well as the network’s bowl and spring football programming.

So after a pro playing career that included Arizona, Houston and Oakland, Leinart is looking beyond and becomes part of the media.

With Leinart’s USC connections, it’s natural that he joins Pac-12 Networks to become part of its football crew. We’ll see if he can expand his role on Fox to perhaps a game analyst, but for now, he’ll be in the studio and see if he can parlay this to beyond football.